Gabriella's Summer
by Angkeats
Summary: Sequel to 'Gabriella's Rules', Gabi has been forced to go to Indianopolis to visit her father and is sulking to the highest degree, but she soon makes a new friend and her estranged father begins to learn about her Wildcat boyfriend, Troy.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey all**

**Here is the sequel to 'Gabriella's Rules', hope you like it!**

**Chapter 1**

"Wow you have got an amazing…." The male voice began as Gabi bent over the mustang and washed the hood.

She turned, pinning one side of her mouth together.

"Ass?" She supplied knowingly.

The scrawny, sandy-haired boy squinted, frowning.

"I was going to say 'car' actually…" He looked seriously perturbed that she had got the wrong idea.

Gabi blushed awkwardly, fiddling with her sponge.

"Oh…sorry. Well, it's not mine, it's my dad's." She offered by way of an apology.

The boy nodded, his hands tucked in his pockets and it reminded her of Troy.

"You're Daniel's daughter?" He asked then.

Gabi nodded, still awkward about her misunderstanding.

"Yeah, I'm here for the summer. You know my dad?" She asked back, not wanting to look too nosy, too interested.

"Kinda." He shrugged. "I worked in the garage last summer…" He explained and Gabi nodded once more.

Her father owned a car garage in the small town that looked like it was set in the 50's. She had asked him for allowance money and he had told her she had to earn it, starting them off on a rocky foot.

Gabi wasn't used to having to work. Her mom just gave her allowance and she went shopping, life was simple.

Her nails were already cracking and she'd only been there three days.

She hardly got to see her dad anyway, because he was mostly busy in the garage but he had promised he was taking a few days off and that they would get time to together. It amused her that it took three years for him to even remember she existed after he divorced with her mom. And now she was here and it seemed like a waste of time.

"I'm hoping people tip well round here, am I right?" She checked, wondering if any extra money could be made along with what she would earn from her dad.

"I guess." He shrugged. "They maybe need to see you in those shorts, though." He added teasingly and Gabi pursed her lips, smiling at herself for her own vanity.

"Yeah, okay, rub it in." She said back, pushing some stray hair off her forehead.

She walked three steps from the forecourt of the garage to hold out her hand to the boy. His eyes were blue, but not like Troy's she noted. They were kind of silver, too. Kind of pale.

"I'm Gabriella." She announced.

"Tom." He licked his lower lip.

"Well it's nice to meet you. Hopefully this summer won't be a total suck-fest." She mused.

"Well, it's kinda boring round here. But you know, it's also beautiful. Most people who come here, don't end up leaving." He said knowledgeably.

"Oh my god, is it some kind of freak town?" She asked quickly, then realised she may have inadvertently insulted him. "I mean…" She began.

"It's ok, Gabriella." Tom assured. "It probably is. I wouldn't mind if you got stuck here." He added with a smile.

"I think my boyfriend would." She said gently, not wanting to be too blatant about it, the guy was just being friendly.

"Wildcats huh?" He asked of her t-shirt.

"Yeah." She nodded with a smile. "That's his team."

"They won the state championship right?" He frowned.

"They sure did!" She grinned proudly.

"He must be an awesome guy, then." He added, kicking his feet.

She nodded, a sadness washing over her as she missed him again.

"He is."

"I wish I could play basketball." He looked to the sky. "God decided I should be a gangly, skinny geek." He widened his eyes for humorous effect.

Gabi giggled, right on cue.

"Well, are you any good at skating?" She asked.

He shrugged. "I have some boots; I only go out if my friends do."

"As soon as the sun goes down and it's cooler, I'm going for a roll. I wanna check this place out." She said coolly.

"Need a tour guide?" He offered.

Gabi nodded, smiling.

"That would be cool, thank you." She looked at the boy again, making sure he didn't give off any weird vibes that she might have missed.

"See you in a bit." He said, and then turned as he walked away. "Oh hey, I'm off to the diner- you want anything? Ice tea?" He checked.

"Ice tea?" She screwed up her nose. "No, but you could get me a coke…" She said, dipping into her shorts for some money.

"This one's on me, Gabriella." He smiled, continuing his walk.

Gabi smiled to herself. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all.

--

Daniel watched his daughter on the forecourt of his garage as she chatted to Tom, a kid he happened to know from down the street.

He didn't feel the need to intervene because he liked Tom, he seemed like one of the good guys round here. But he still felt that little fatherly worry at her attracting attention the way she had in those damn skimpy clothes she insisted on wearing.

He knew it was too soon to start laying down the law. She had only come to him two days ago; but he was a father after all. It was his job to worry.

Only it was something he hadn't done for years. Something he had gotten out of the habit of and though it unsettled him, he had missed this feeling.

The girl under his care was almost a stranger. She still had the clear skin, the remarkably beautiful face, the dark hair and eyes that mimicked his own. But she was older, more wary. And definitely hurt.

He didn't know if three weeks would be enough but it's all he had right now to prove himself.

Three weeks to correct three years' worth of mistakes.

He sighed, ambling down toward her, still finding difficulty in choosing words.

"Wanna drink? It's hot out here." He attempted.

Her cool gaze sliced him, her face unreadable.

"Someone's getting me one." She said of Tom and he nodded, feeling like he was always a little too late.

"Take a break from the sun, if you get tired." He added carefully, not wanting to sound pushy.

"You wanted me to work for my allowance, _dad_." She said the word accusingly.

"You're right. But I don't want you to get sunstroke." He countered.

Gabi sighed. She supposed he didn't have much choice than to keep her hostage here. He couldn't get time off work and he couldn't let her run around the streets with no-one to play with, so he'd had to think of something. And she knew there was some kind of message he was teaching her. Something about earning her worth.

She kind of knew it, mom had her own ways of teaching her those values but he didn't know that.

As she studied his battered face, his dejected pose; she felt something like sympathy.

She didn't want to feel it, she tried to fight it. He had abandoned her three years ago and didn't deserve sympathy. But his empty brown eyes weren't the ones she remembered.

"Ok, I'll take a rest once Tom got my drink for me." She said gently.

"I'll cook us dinner later, whatever you like." He offered.

Gabi shrugged. She wasn't used to this, to being asked, to having things made specially. Mom shoved something in the oven and she ate it regardless.

So far her father had made them spaghetti bolognase and a fish curry thing with rice that she hadn't entirely liked but she had managed to push around her plate long enough until he had taken it away, offering her an alternative.

And then he'd made her beans on toast, just like when she was younger.

"What's the choice?" She hedged curiously, not wanting to appear too interested.

"You name it, I'll make it." He said.

She twisted her mouth.

"How about pizza?" She suggested carefully.

"Pizza…I can do pizza." He nodded slowly. "What's your favourite topping?"

"Ham and pineapple."

"Me too." He frowned quizzically. "Ok, I'm on it. Here comes your drink." He lifted his chin towards Tom who was returning toward them.

"Dad…Is it okay if I call my friends tonight?" She asked.

"Of course." He agreed, feeling her loneliness, hoping she wouldn't hold it against him for too long.

--

'Are you missing me yet?' Troy asked as Gabi padded around her room in her night wear, wondering what she would wear tomorrow.

"Wildcat, I miss you sooo much!" She enthused.

"You sound far too happy." He accused, his tone sulky.

"I met a new friend today. He took me for a tour of the town. I might not actually be alone in this sucky place." She revealed.

"He?" Troy asked and Gabi was amused that he didn't pick up anything else from her sentence other than that.

"Yeah, he. Tom. He's cool, don't worry, he knows I have a boyfriend and I promise, he was totally fine." She said, sighing.

"I miss you." He said then.

"Well what have you been up to? How's Max and the guys?" She asked instead.

"Well actually, I might be getting dance lessons from Mrs. Thorpe down the road. She knows most of the classics and my dad was talking to her and she needs her fence painted. So it looks like my summer is all tied up." He explained.

"That's really cool, Troy" Gabi smiled sadly, sitting on her bed, stroking her duvet. She laid backward, grabbing her pillow and hugging it.

"I know you wanted to teach me, I just thought this would keep me busy." He added as she remained quiet.

"What are you doing right now?" He asked, desperate to hear her voice again. He cuddled his sofa cushion as he sprawled out in front of the TV.

"Hugging my pillow." She replied, closing her eyes and picturing Troy.

"Hey, me too! Well, my sofa cushion." He amended.

"It doesn't have your muscles." She supplied, sadly.

"Ah, but you love me for more than my muscles, right?" He asked, feeling her smile about to begin.

"I don't know, it's mostly the muscles." She said.

"Well that's something, I guess." He sighed.

"I miss being with you, Troy. I miss…" She searched for the right word.

"Making out?" He supplied, just as his mom came through he door and he hoped she hadn't heard.

Lucy looked to him, noted he was on the phone, lifted her brows to which he smiled innocently and she went to put the groceries away that she was carrying.

He sighed with relief.

"Well, yeah." She agreed and he ached in his belly.

"Me, too." He returned softly.

"I should go; I have to get up early and wash cars." She said despondently.

"Wash cars?" He asked.

"Don't ask." She muttered.

"I hope your not sending those guys down there crazy with your shorts…" He joked.

"It's all for tips" She assured.

"I love you." He said quickly, before she hung up.

"Love you too, Wildcat." She replied and got up, pulling out her cropped jeans and red vest for the following day.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the reviews :)**

**Chapter 2**

"So, how about a baseball game?" Daniel asked his daughter as he watched her eat breakfast, a big sulky look on her face that she had owned since Julia had dropped her off with him.

Gabi looked to her father and didn't wonder where her dark eyes and hair came from. Even her dark skin. Her nose and yes, maybe her mouth, too. But it annoyed her that she only took a few features from her mother when she had barely heard from him since she was fourteen.

"Why did you make me come here?" She asked out of interest.

Daniel considered her. She sure wasn't the sweet little fourteen-year old he remembered. But he liked that. He liked that she was honest and he liked that she was independent. Julia had done a good job.

"Well…the last few years have been…difficult." He explained. "But I hoped you might give me a chance to get to know me again. And I thought your mom might like some support." He added.

She flicked her astute eyes to him, testing him.

"Why didn't you want to see me the last three years?" She asked and he felt her anger deep in his gut.

He licked his lips.

"There's some things that at your age, you just wouldn't understand." He began.

"Oh god, the 'you're too young to understand' speech." She rolled her eyes. "I'm old enough to have sex and to be trusted alone all day, dad." She pointed out. "If you hadn't forgotten me you'd know that not long ago I was attacked. Do you not think I've been hurt, been disappointed? Do you not think I've _seen _life?" She asked and then sighed, getting up and leaving him at his breakfast table, astounded.

His daughter was having sex?

--

"So, you have a boyfriend then?" He asked conversationally as she sulked on their walk to his work place.

"Wow, you win a prize." She said sarcastically.

"Is it too much to ask that you speak to me like I'm your parent?" He asked sharply.

Her brown eyes darkened and reminded him of his own fiery temper.

"Do you care? At all?" She wondered.

"I'm asking aren't I?" He reasoned.

"Only to tell me I shouldn't be sleeping with him or some shit." She argued.

"Don't swear at me Gabriella Montez!" He commanded and she bit her lower lip.

She rolled her eyes around and walked off, one hand wrapped around her elbow in a little-girl kind of way. It reminded him starkly how much she had grown up.

She stomped into his garage and grabbed her bucket and sponge.

"Wait…" He asked gently, stopping her with a hand to her elbow.

"What?" She asked, meeting his gaze again.

"At least tell me his name, what does he do? How did you meet him?" He begged and he felt sheen of tears cover his eyes at how much he had missed in her young life.

She was seventeen, on the cusp of being an adult. So feisty, fighting for her freedom. And yet so vulnerable, so easily broken if he didn't take care of her.

"His name is Troy. He's a basketball player at East High and I met him through a roller skating competition." She supplied, sighing softly. "Can I please go now?" She asked.

She skated? His baby girl skated? And she was dating a basketball player. He wasn't sure he liked that piece of information but he vowed to find out more.

"Sure. What about the game tonight, do you want to go?" He asked.

"Sure, dad. Why not?" She asked flippantly, putting her shades on and carrying the bucket to the water tap.

God but why did he have to know everything about her life? Gabi fumed silently, practically throwing her sponge at the car before she simmered down and began cleaning, the rhythm of her swipes calming.

She pulled out her phone and put her music on, dancing around the car as she let the beat soak into her whole body.

"Wow, is the dancing included in the price of a car wash?" Tom asked as Gabi opened her eyes in shock, glancing at her dad who had also been watching her shake her thing.

"It's just my way of coping sometimes." She shared, going back to her job.

"Mm, here, I got you a milkshake." He offered her a cup with a straw, sucking on his own identical one.

"What flavour?" She asked curiously, edging over to him.

"Strawberry." He squinted, seeing if he had guessed right.

"Mmm, yummy." She smiled and took the cup from him boldly.

He chuckled at her, smiling at her face.

"What?!" She objected.

"Nothing, you just make me laugh." He assured.

"Great." She pretended to be offended.

"So what did you think of our little town?" He asked, referring to their skating session.

"It's beautiful, it really is. But I miss home, so much." She added.

"Oh right, the Wildcat." He teased.

"I'm sorry; did I talk about him _all_ the time last night?" She wondered.

"Not _all _the time." He replied. "But I think I know the dude pretty well considering I never met him." He added.

She laughed.

"God, you're not gonna want to hang out with me!" She complained.

"Nah, it's cool. It's cool that you have someone you love." He added, his eyes meeting hers shyly.

"Do you?" She asked in return.

"I did. And she dropped me for the basketball team captain." He said, pressing his lips together.

"You're kidding me? That's a joke, right?" She asked, eyes wide.

His smile escaped.

"Yeah, actually that was a joke! But seriously, the girl I like, she wouldn't even _look _at me." He lifted his brows, rocking back on his feet.

"Ah-ha!" She exclaimed, jumping up.

"What?" He eyed her fearfully.

"Summer project!" She said excitedly.

"What is?" He frowned, afraid of the excitable girl before him.

"Getting you your dream girl." She smiled confidently.

"Ohhhhh no…." He protested quickly.

"Oh yes. If I have to be stuck here all summer, I am so gonna do something worthwhile with my time." She said.

"I'm not a charity case." He objected.

"I know." She answered, frowning bemusedly.

"Then why help me? I told you she doesn't like me, just leave it at that." He said cagily, turning to go.

"Tom, wait!" Gabi called and he ignored her, leaving her stumped.

"You attract a lot of attention huh?" Daniel asked drily.

Gabi lifted her eyes to him, hiding her smile.

"I guess I do." She agreed, going back to her bucket and sponge.

--

"Wooo-eeee, you can clean my car _any _day!" Came a redneck kind of voice and Gabi turned, arching her brow.

It was about time an asshole showed up. Her life seemed to be empty of them right now.

"It's ten dollars for the outside and twenty to hoover it out as well." She supplied coolly.

"Can I watch?" The tall, brash idiot asked, his keen hazel eyes zeroing in on her bust.

She smiled wanly. "Only if you want to lose an eye." She returned.

Daniel walked down the forecourt, hearing Gabi's comment and secretly thinking, _good for her._

"Can I help you, Brett?" He asked, standing by his daughter protectively.

"Yeah, just admiring your new hired help." He grinned.

"That's my daughter you're perving over." He stated flatly, wiping his hands as his dark eyes met Brett's and held them, silently warning him.

"Your daughter?" Brett looked nervous. "Oh, I'll be damned. I do apologise, little lady." Brett said to Gabi.

"My boyfriend would beat your ass…" She muttered as she turned and went inside the shed.

"I don't wanna see you anywhere near her." Daniel stated with a squint.

Brett merely smiled, walking off.

--

"He takes care of you, this basketball guy?" Daniel asked as he shared a hotdog with Gabi at the baseball game.

"His name is Troy, dad." She supplied.

"Fine, Troy. He takes care of you?" He asked again, insistent, trying to keep his temper.

"He does." She answered.

"He…he protects you, right?" He asked awkwardly and she rolled her eyes up fearfully as she bit into her hotdog. "You know, uses a condom?" He asked and Gabi closed her eyes, just about dying of shame.

"You really just go right for the big conversations, don't you?" She asked back, kind of feeling sorry for him.

It couldn't be easy for him, she supposed. He had a seventeen year old daughter that he knew nothing about. He was probably worried she was going to get pregnant or something.

"I try." He shrugged, trying to lighten the mood, then, "You do use protection though, don't you, just tell me that much?" He begged.

She laughed. She couldn't help the giggle that overtook her. He looked so damn nervous, like it was his whole life that she was protected during sex.

"We do." She agreed, blushing even as her face twisted.

"I'm sorry, I had to ask…." He apologised, relaxing visibly.

"Mom doesn't ask me this stuff." She accused. "She trusts me."

"Oh." He said, looking at his hotdog, not eating it, then flicking his eyes over his petite daughter, her wavy hair cast over her tiny shoulders. "I'm sorry if you think I didn't trust you. I do. I just…I just don't know this guy, that's all." He explained.

"Well you would do, if you bothered to visit." She threw back and he understood why she hurt. He understood why she didn't want to share details about her life because she was protecting herself from being hurt again. He could see that this Troy meant a lot to her because she clammed up every time he mentioned his name, like she was afraid he was going to cast judgement against him.

"You're right. I should have visited." He agreed, slowly nodding, finally taking a bite of his sausage and bun, now cool from his hesitation.

"He's actually a really cool guy. He really cares about me. He gave me this ring…" She said and held up her hand for him to see, desperate to prove his worth.

He nodded, his brows lifting.

"A promise ring." He recognised.

She nodded, pressing her lips together.

"You must miss him, huh, baby girl?" He asked, his affectionate nickname naturally falling from his lips.

She nodded again, her brown eyes raising to his, questioning.

"I missed you." He said, answering her question, his tears appearing again.

"Troy's team won the basketball championship you know…" She began and he smiled as she launched into a description of Troy and his team and how they connected.

He smiled down on her, the words streaming into his ears as he thought how proud he was of her, how much he hated himself for not being there.

That would change, he promised himself.


	3. Chapter 3

**Keep commenting peeps x**

**Chapter 3**

"Do you like Ommlette?" Daniel asked distractedly the next morning, tiredly running a hand through his hair, not entirely used to having to nourish a teenager before he worked.

"I suppose so." Gabi said from the table, engrossed in a magazine.

"Anything you don't like?" He checked.

"Mushrooms." She supplied.

"What's your favourite food?" He wondered, cracking some eggs into a bowl.

"Ice cream."

"I mean, real food," he smiled behind him.

"Huh? Oh, um, maybe chilli." She offered.

"What's the latest then?" He asked, gesturing to the magazine.

She looked up vacantly and then smiled.

"Josh Hartnett, oh my god, he is so hot!" She enthused. "Apparently he's doing this film…" She launched into another long, descriptive monologue about the actor's plans as he gently stirred the ommlette on the stove, liking having another voice to listen to, liking her infectious enthusiasm about pretty much everything.

"You know…" He rubbed his lips together as he waited for her to try his ommlette. So far she had poked it and blinked at it. Eventually, breaking off a small piece and nibbling it, she smiled and tucked in.

"I know what?" She said back.

"I don't want you to work too hard this summer. I'll give you money for doing the cars, but you should go out with your friends." He suggested.

"My friends are in Albuquerque." She pointed out.

"There's Tom." He said.

Gabi nodded, he was right, Tom was a friend. A pretty cool one.

"Tell me about your other friends." He asked.

"Well, there's my squad, the Beary Beauties." She said of her cheerleading team. "But mostly I hang out with Taylor and Troy."

"You're a cheerleader too? Do you do cheerleading competitions as well as skating ones?" He wondered.

"I did one. I got a prize for my choreography." She shared.

He blinked at her, astounded at what little he knew of her.

"I'm sorry I missed it all." He said quietly.

"Well, I kinda got in trouble that weekend," she laughed, then remembered who she was talking to.

"Why?"

"Um, 'cos I snuck in to Troy's room." She offered meekly, regretting her honesty.

He flattened his lips. "I see."

"Are you mad at me?" She asked, fearfully.

"Maybe a little." He admitted.

"We just talked." She added hopefully, kicking herself for ever mentioning it.

He nodded thoughtfully.

"I have to go shop for groceries, do you need anything?" He asked instead, rubbing his face, not sure how he should handle his sexually active 17 year old child. He had to take some comfort in the fact she was talking about it, at least she did that much.

"I'd like to come with you and help." She said, surprising him.

"If you're sure…"

"Me and mom talk about stuff when we shop," she supplied, giving him a pointer when he desperately needed one. He briefly wondered who was parenting whom.

"Okay, what do you talk about?" He asked, clearing their plates away and grabbing his truck keys.

"Well, it starts off with mom asking about school and my grades…" She narrated as they left the house.

"Mm-mm" He agreed, climbing into the truck.

"And when I managed to divert her off that subject by talking for aaages about my Math teacher; then she starts asking about my friends…" She continued, in the truck as he drove.

"Right, okay, friends. Got it." He should be making a list or something, this was important stuff.

"And then when we get to the aisle with the condoms, she _always_ asks me about Troy." Gabi rolled her eyes.

"Fancy that…" Her father mused beside her.

"And finally she asks me what makes me happy and if there's anything she can help with." She finished.

"Wow, you're mom is one awesome parent." He realised, knowing he wouldn't measure up to Julia's role in Gabi's life.

"Think about it, dad. You already asked me about my friends. And a whole heap about Troy-especially the condoms part." She lifted a brow. "That was all without practice. I think you're doing pretty good." She allowed.

He chuckled at her offering. "Thanks."

"That's ok." She said back.

"_Are_ you happy?" He asked then, as they pulled up at the store.

"I think so." She replied.

"You can tell me anything." He said then, awkwardly. "I mean, you know, if you're ever in trouble or you need me…don't hesitate okay?" He asked.

She nodded, pitching her mouth to one side.

"Sometimes…when you ask me those questions about Troy?" She hedged cautiously. "Sometimes I kind of think you're right to. I kinda feel like you care when you ask me those." She admitted and then jumped from his cab and strode into the shop, leaving him wondering when his daughter had ever gotten so damn smart.

--

"So that's where you hide." Gabi said as she plonked herself opposite Tom in the diner, staring at him as he studied the menu intensely.

"Can you blame me? Troy this, Troy that…" He teased, dropping the menu and shyly looking at her.

"I know, my dad said the exact same thing last night. But then, he did _ask _about him, whereas you I just kinda bombarded…" She mused.

"So how is the Wild one?" He asked nonchalantly, rubbing the tip of the menu between his finger and thumb as he subconsciously hid his face from the approaching waitress.

"Good Morning, welcome to Benny's!" She called brightly. "I'm Tammi and I'm your waitress. Oh, hey Tom." She greeted and Gabi looked from him to the pretty, blonde haired girl, realising pretty quickly that this was his crush.

She smiled to herself, closing her lips in to hide it.

"Hi Tammi." He smiled.

"What are you two having?" She asked warmly.

"Gabi's not my girlfriend." He stated awkwardly and Tammi lifted her brows.

"Okay." She shrugged.

"She has her own boyfriend. His name's Troy, he's a Wildcat." He supplied unnecessarily.

Gabi looked to Tammi.

"He plays basketball," she supplied to assist her confusion. "Err; can I have some pancakes, with maple syrup?" She asked, her eyes wide with longing for something sticky and sweet.

"Bacon and egg bagel please." Tom added and Tammi took the menus away.

"What was that?" Gabi teased quickly, smiling at Tom.

"See! She is not gonna want to know me." He complained, planting his head in his hands as he rested his elbows on the table.

"Look, just relax, or something." She suggested, bewildered.

Tammi came back across with the orders and Gabi smile casually.

"Oh hey, Tammi." She called just before she went. "Tom and I are going to…go to the movies tonight, right Tom?" Gabi asked as he stared at her, gobsmacked.

"Do you wanna join?" She asked.

Tammi beamed at her, and then smiled shyly at Tom.

"I'd like that, what time?" She wondered.

"What time was it Tom?" Gabi asked, kicking him under the table.

"Ou—yes. I thought we could watch Transformers, it's showing at eight." He smiled wanly, reaching down to rub his shin.

"He'll pick you up at 7.30, 'kay?" Gabi asked.

"What about you?" She asked of Gabi.

"I'll get my dad to drop me, he's uh…he's real protective and stuff." Gabi lied.

"Great, okay. See you later." She waved cutely as she went off and Gabi widened her eyes at Tom.

"Oh my god, she totally likes you, too!" She enthused.

"Oh sure. Until I spill popcorn or trip over or Brett sees me." He mused.

"Oh, him." Gabi said flatly, curling her lip. "Don't you worry; you're worth ten of Brett." Gabi assured.

She slipped from the booth after eating her lunch snack quickly.

"Hey…thanks Gabi." Tom smiled. "I kinda like having you around." He complimented.

Gabi smiled back and left the diner, the fresh air of the day filling her with hope.

--

"Hey, beautiful." Troy's warm voice tickled her all the way to the inside of her thighs.

"Mmm, hey boyfriend." Gabi greeted, stretching on her bed where she had fallen asleep after coming home, exhausted from her busy afternoon car cleaning.

"Wow you sound sexy, what are you doing?" He asked.

"I just woke up." She replied, biting her lip, brushing her thumb over her nipple as awareness rippled across her skin and she shivered as the sensations turned her on.

"What I would do to be in that bed with you…" He mused, his voice deepening, becoming husky.

"I'm all alone…" She enticed. "I miss my boyfriend and his big, strong arms and his big, strong…" She teased.

"Oh god…" He moaned from the other end of the line. "Don't do it to me, please." He begged.

"Hands." She said quickly to finish her sentence. "I can just feel them, on my body." She imagined, closing her eyes.

"I need a cold shower…" He husked, his own body rigid with his need, her sexy conversation ruining him.

"Touch me." She said softly, reminding him of those days in the skate park, of when he took her body in his hands and everything was so new, so exciting. How was it that the feeling never dulled?

"I wish I could. I wish I could cup your breasts in my hands and take you into my mouth and…"

Her moan stilled him, caught his breath in his throat. She was pleasuring herself, he was sure of it.

"Tell me more, Wildcat." She breathed as she let her hand roam her body, her mind envisaging only Troy, only his touch.

"I'd take your hips and kiss you- where you want me to right now, deep inside…" He promised, closing his eyes as he stripped his sweat pants off and took his straining arousal in his hand, giving into her apparent need to become closer, somehow.

Another moan, strangled, loud.

His breaths expelled harshly now, barely keeping his control as he tried to please her as he gripped himself and stroked, repeatedly, feeling his orgasm coming.

"How would you take me, Troy? Tell me…" She begged.

"How do you want me?" He asked back, tightly.

"Oh god, hard, fast… just your hands, your body…" She all but panted now and his own vocalism of desire spilled free, just as his seed did, all across his hand and his body.

"You'd have me, babe…all of me…" He promised, his breaths slowing as he heard her hit her peak, expelling his name with such absolute need that he cursed the distance between them.

"Would you hold me?" She begged afterwards, her tears evident in her voice.

"Oh babe, I would. I would hold you tight. So tight." He repeated, his whole body rigid with his need to do so.

"I would hold you, too." She promised.

"Then I'd be a happy guy." He allowed, reaching out to try and clean himself up as she continued to talk.

"My dad asked all about you." She hedged, curling over on her bed to hug her pillow, her Troy replacement.

"Oh jeez, is he gonna shoot me?" He wondered.

"No…" She giggled softly. "He was asking me if we use condoms it was _so _embarrassing."

"He knows we have sex?" He asked, panicked.

"Well, yeah…" She said shyly.

"Oh shit, oh man, I am dead…" He sat up, rubbing his hair from his face.

"No, it's ok." She assured. "I told him all about you. I think he kinda regretted asking me…"

"You can't stop talking about me huh?" He guessed, happily, an inane grin on his face.

"Do you?" She wondered.

"Talk about you? God, just ask my mom. Yesterday she ripped my head off and told me to get on a frickin' plane and go to Indianapolis." He joked.

Gabi giggled, her affection clear.

"I can't wait to feel your arms around me." She said softly.

"I can't wait to feel your butt." He replied, enjoying the sound of her breathing as they both remained quiet.

"Gabriella?" Daniel's voice came up the stairs.

"My dad's home, I have to go eat with him," she stated sadly.

"That's okay, babe. You call me whenever you can, okay?" He asked and she agreed.

"Goodnight, Troyby." She smiled into the phone.

"Goodnight, beautiful."

--

"I'm going to the movies after dinner, if that's okay." Gabi asked as she scooped up some of her father's chilli and smiled as her tastebuds exploded in pleasure. "Wow you can really cook…" She mused, distracted.

"Thank you. And who are you going with?" He asked gently, smiling as he watched his daughter eat hungrily. At least he didn't have to worry about her being anorexic or anything.

"Tom and Tammi. I am gonna have to get dancing again. Honestly, dad, as much as I love your food, I'm gonna put on a tonne of weight!" She joked, taking some buttered bread and biting into that with gusto.

"I want to feed you properly. I don't want your mom to think you starved or something…" He smiled.

Gabi blinked, a semi-frown hitting her face.

"Mom didn't want you to see me, did she?" She guessed suddenly, reading the look on his face very clearly.

His eyes went to hers, shocked. He sighed, putting down his fork.

"I wish it were that simple, baby girl, but it's really not. There really is a whole lot more to it than that…" He explained.

"Then why won't you tell me?" She accused, her brown eyes showing that hurt again, the one he had caused.

"I need to think of the words, I need you to trust me." He said, frustratedly.

"You walked out, dad." She said, pressing her lips together, her tone not accusing anymore, just exasperated. "I kinda lost that trust in the three years since you left."

Her words broke his heart as surely as Julia had the day she signed the divorce papers and he closed his eyes painfully, knowing the past would have to be dragged up to heal their rift.

"Did you get my cards?" He begged.

She nodded.

"Yeah, but 'Happy 16th Birthday' doesn't really cut it, dad. We could have gone to a baseball game or played rounders in the park. It would have _meant_ something." She argued, her chest tight with emotions.

"You're a teenager Gabi; you wouldn't have wanted to hang round with your dad. You would have had a big, sparkly party and lots of cool friends there…" He reasoned, dying inside that he had missed her sweet sixteen.

She licked her lips, getting up from the table.

"I would have liked to have spent it with my father." She stated and left him once again alone, regretting his actions.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks for the comments everyone!**

**Chapter 4**

"We're not working today." Daniel said as Gabi came down from her room, dressed in a revealing denim outfit that he didn't entirely approve of. "Once you're dressed, we're going on a road trip." He explained.

"Dad, I am dressed. This is what people wear." Gabi said tiredly.

"People who aren't my daughter…" He lifted his brows, wondering if she always went out like this.

"I've been dressing like this for over a year, it's my style." She returned.

"And you wonder why you got attacked…" He muttered.

"You don't know anything about that!" She yelled, throwing down her bag to the floor.

He sighed.

"You're right I don't, you can tell me in the car, once you get changed." He suggested.

"I'm not changing." She folded her arms stubbornly, her words taking on a bigger meaning. She wasn't going to change for a father who had abandoned her. He had to begrudgingly respect that.

"Ok, fine, can we please just go?" He asked, picking up the cool bag full of food.

--

"How was the movie?" Daniel asked as he drove.

"It was ok." She replied.

"You sulking again?" He asked.

She squinted at him, her arms still folded across her small body.

"You just don't get it do you?" She asked.

"Honestly? No, I don't." He agreed.

"I was attacked because my boyfriend goes to a different school than me. Because some asshole…" She paused. "Sorry." She apologised quickly for swearing, searching for another word, "…some…moron decided that we had to be punished for that. It was his _best friend_, dad. He got beaten unconscious because of me. Because of us." Her tears fell then as she sniffled heavily and he cast a look over at her, pulling up at the side of the road.

He leaned toward her, knowing she wouldn't accept a hug.

"I'm sorry, baby girl. No-one deserves that. No-one deserves to be hurt like that." He agreed. "Not even the jump-start who decided to date my daughter." He muttered.

"He's not a jump-start." She said back, her eyes cool and calculating.

"Okay…" He gave in. "Okay, I'm being presumptuous. I need to get the whole story before I jump to conclusions." He guessed.

She nodded.

"He fought for me, dad. We had to fight so hard to be together." She explained.

"I understand, honey. I get it, you miss him. I've taken you away from him." He said, surprising her with his insight.

She looked at him, not sure what to say.

"I promise, you'll be back with him soon. You can call him whenever you like, just please, give me a chance to know you?" He begged, biting his lower lip.

"Can I call him now?" She asked gently, her voice shaky.

He sighed, knowing he had to support her on this one. Even if he didn't know anything about the guy or what his intentions were, he had to at least trust his daughter.

"Of course you can. We still have a way to go." He said and put the truck back into drive, pulling out onto the freeway.

--

"Where in the heck are we?" Gabi wondered as they pulled up at a viewpoint and Daniel collected the food bag.

"We are in the middle of heaven." Daniel stated, starting to climb down a worn pathway, holding out his hand to Gabi to help her balance.

She ignored his hand and went in front of him, her gladiator sandals not the best footwear for this trip.

"Is this where you try and convince me to stay with you?" She wondered, her arms striking back and forth angrily as she walked.

"No. I'm happy you're with your mom, she's a great woman." He said.

Gabi turned to him.

"Even though she lets me dress like this and have sex?" She challenged with her biting honesty.

"Even then." He agreed. "I've missed you growing up. I used to love your laughter, your smiles…" He reminisced.

"Isn't it about time you told me why you left? Why you didn't come back?" she beseeched.

He stopped her gently, catching her arm. He pointed to a spot where he lay out the blanket, going into his bag and peeking at her.

"Okay I got…coke, lemonade, some kinda new-fangled what-it doody drink that all you kids go crazy over…"

Gabi giggled at him, rolling her eyes.

"It's called Kwasherthirst, dad." She teased.

"Yeah, that's the one- you want that?" He asked.

"I like coke." She replied, telling him in the way she said it that she was prepared to let him into her likes and dislikes.

"But not this sugary stuff?" He tipped his lips downward.

"Not so much…But if I'm cheerleading and then skating straight after, sometimes it can help with my energy levels…" She offered.

"Is there anything you don't do?" He asked.

She shrugged. "I guess I don't always study so hard…" She admitted.

He smiled at her, seeing so much of himself in her. At her age, he was exactly the same. Always off doing something, being active, never able to sit still.

"Maybe I can help with that…" He said gently.

"Troy said 'hi' by the way." She ventured as she ate her sandwich.

"Did he now?" He asked with an arched brow. "Does he know I'm sick of hearing his name?" He joked.

"His mom is the same. She told him to get a flight out here." Gabi mused.

"Well that's good to hear." He said warmly. "Perhaps you'll let me meet him one day?" He suggested, looking to her.

The sun was highlighting her features; her hair was blowing back in the breeze. She looked so serene and happy and it wasn't because of him.

"Maybe if you drop me home instead of mom coming to get me…maybe you could then…" She hedged. His brows rose high on his forehead.

"I'd like that." He admitted. Gabi nodded, twisting her lips.

"I've shared dad, its time you told me your story now." She said with such maturity that he wondered if she ever got a chance to just be a kid, to just have fun. He swore to himself she would have time for that while she visited him.

"Well, I suppose you're right." He sighed, leaning back on his hands.

They sat there, until the sun was fading, until there were hardly any words left to speak and Gabi learnt about her father. That he had turned to drink after the divorce, that he'd been in a bad way- demanding to see Gabi, sometimes turning up drunk, violent.

He'd lost his job, his home, he'd hit rock bottom.

And then he'd started to build up again. He went to rehab, taken a mechanics course, opened his garage. And he'd kept it steady for two years. That had been Julia's test for him. To stay clean and employed for two years and then he would be allowed to see her. And finally that day had come.

Gabi watched her dad as he drove them home with a new feeling growing in her heart. It was one she hadn't felt since the day he had left and once she wasn't sure she would ever feel again. It kind of felt like love.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for the comments! Sorry if there's not much Troyella, this is kinda Gabi's story but Troy does pop up now and then ;)**

**Chapter 5**

"Pancakes?" Daniel asked as Gabi sat at the table, subdued.

"You make them fresh?" Her eyes widened, astounded.

He nodded, his mouth tipping down at the edges.

"Can you show me?" She pleaded. "I mean, please would you show me?" She amended.

He shrugged. "Sure. Another day, though." He added.

"I can make some for Troy." She smiled happily and he stiffened, frowning, his back to her as he stood at the stove.

"You sleep over a lot, do you?" He asked gently, subconsciously taking a breath.

Gabi considered that he didn't really want to know the answer to his question.

"Not really. We're not always allowed." She stated truthfully, knowing they had to snatch time together when they did make out.

He nodded, relaxing, dishing her out some pancakes as they became ready.

"I can show you how to change a tyre as well if you like?" He offered.

Gabi scrunched her nose.

"Broken nails are bad enough. I don't want dirt encrusted nails, too."

He chuckled. "Okay, mental note taken."

"What was it like? In rehab?" She asked curiously, closing her eyes in bliss at the taste of his cooking. "Oh, yum…" She said softly.

"Ah," he sighed, sitting at the table with her, pouring her an orange juice, checking there was nothing he had forgotten before he started his own breakfast.

"It was tough. I was in a pretty bad place." He faced her openly, his angular face softening.

"I wish I could have helped." She said lightly.

He smiled, watching her add sugar and cream to her breakfast.

"Well you know what, you kinda did…" He led thoughtfully, leaning back in his chair.

He stretched his arms above his head and Gabi took in his black jeans and t-shirt that complemented his dark hair and eyes. She supposed he was quite trendy for his age. He was also kind of handsome. He looked young, he just had a few laugh lines.

"I did?" She asked hopefully.

Daniel looked at his daughter and remembered how she used to look at him like that _all_ the time.

"Well, it was the thought of losing you that made me get my act together. When Julia…your mom…banned me from the house, I went and got help." He explained.

"Did you miss me lots?" She wondered now.

"Oh baby girl, I missed you more than you know." He sighed, placing his fork down, leaning forward.

"I'm sorry." She said, making his heart break.

"You're not the one who has to be sorry. I'm the one who fucked up." He said, then winced. "Messed up, I mean, I messed up." He corrected.

"I felt like…like I had done something wrong. Like you didn't want to know me." She admitted carefully, still only slowly opening up to him about her feelings. He nodded, taking her hurt on his shoulders.

"You know now that you didn't, right? You know this was all your dad's own doing…" He added ruefully.

"I know there's no black and white. That everyone makes mistakes." She stated.

"You sound like you have the weight of the world on those tiny shoulders…" He shook his head.

"I'm just saying…I can forgive you, dad. I understand more than you think." She pressed her lips together.

He tried a smile, his face aching from her touching statement.

"It would mean the world to me if you did."

"I gave Troy the benefit of the doubt when maybe no-one else did." She stated, remembering his words to her. "I guess it's just who I am." She shrugged.

"I'm beginning to like the sound of this basketball guy." Daniel mused. "I think we may have something in common."

---

"#All the single ladies…all the single ladies…#" Gabi sang as she practically danced _with _the car she was cleaning, rolling her body as she turned outward, wiggling her shoulders and hips in time with the music.

She grabbed the hose, using it as a microphone. "#Put your hands up! Uh-oh-oh…#"

Daniel came out, laughing at her.

"You should be on stage!" He smiled.

"I'm too good for Broadway." She said coolly looking at her finger nails with a pout.

He grabbed the hose and squirted her.

"Not too good for a soaking, though, baby girl!" He teased and they chased each other around the forecourt.

"Whoa, wet, wet!" Tom said as he held his arms above his head and protected his already frizzy hair.

Gabi giggled, pushing at her dad.

"Oh, hey, Tom." She smiled. "How's you?"

"I'm good. Hi, Mr. Montez." Tom greeted.

"Hi Tom. Now, Gabi, see, Tom is a nice boy. You sure you wouldn't rather date him than this jock you keep yapping on about?" Daniel teased.

Gabi merely rolled her eyes. "I'm sure." She replied.

"Just checking. Worth a try, right?" He grinned.

Gabi looked at her dad, seeing how his demeanour had changed from when she had first got here. He was actually smiling for a start.

"Sure thing, dad, whatever you say." She agreed lightly, grabbing Tom's arm and turning him so he could lead her to the diner.

"Is he really as scary as everyone makes out?" Tom asked.

"You should know, you worked with him." She remarked.

"He didn't speak to me much…just kinda grunted and pointed." He said and Gabi giggled.

"I guess he's had kinda a hard time." She allowed.

"So how's the Wildcat?" He asked predictably.

"Like me. Kinda love-sick." She shrugged.

"You should send him something. Like a card, to make him smile." He suggested and Gabi tipped her head, smiling.

"That's an awesome idea! I can make him a card! Hey, you wanna come over later and help me?" She asked.

"I can't. I have a date." Tom smiled.

"Oh my god. Oh my frickin' god! With Tammi?" Gabi squealed.

He nodded and she looked around, covering her mouth, realising she might be there.

"Oh, she's not working today." He supplied.

"Oh, okay." She nodded. "I can't believe I was right. I was _so_ right." She smiled.

Tom's smile dropped as Brett entered the diner. He headed straight for them, eyeing Tom, then turning to Gabi.

"Geek boy bothering you?" Brett asked.

Gabi smiled sweetly at him, looking into his face.

"Don't talk about my friends like that." She said sternly.

"Oh, sorry. Didn't realise you were friends with _it_." Brett sneered at Tom.

"How old are you?" Gabi challenged. "I mean, I just wondered seeing as that's such a childish thing to say?"

"You know you're hot for me." Brett stated confidently.

Gabi choked on her laugh.

"Now that's funny. You should be a comedian." She arched her brow.

He stared at her coolly.

"I don't see your boyfriend anywhere around." He said.

"That's because he doesn't live here." She said, standing. "But believe me, he's the only one who gets me hot." She added, stalking out of the diner with a wave to Tom and heading back to work.

--

"Ugh some…._boy_….tried it on with me today." Gabi complained as she tried to buff her nails whilst cradling her phone at her ear.

"He better not have touched you…" Troy warned possessively, making Gabi's blood run warm and tingles run over her skin at his tone.

"No…I told him only my boyfriend gets me hot." She smiled proudly.

"After the other night, I've been having cold showers every morning." He supplied, shoving his hand through his hair, stretching out on his bed.

"That was kinda nice…" She agreed with a warm smile.

"I miss talking to you." He said softly.

"We talk…" she defended.

"I know, but it's not the same…I can't hold you, you can't swipe me…" He complained.

"How's the fence painting going?" She asked, changing the subject.

"Its doing good, I gotta warn you, I have paint in places I didn't know I could get paint, but the dancing I'm doing pretty good at." His smile came through in his voice.

"That's really good, I'm really happy. I'll be looking forward to dancing with you when I get back."

"Only dancing I wanna do with you is in bed…" He growled, making her giggle.

"Okay, that too." She said.

"How's your dad?" He asked, remembering her call to him when she was a little emotional about it all.

"He's good. He likes you, I think. He wants to meet you." She added.

"Oh god." He groaned.

"Don't be like that…I said maybe he could; if he takes me home…" She ventured.

"Are you sure he doesn't have a gun?" He asked.

Gabi laughed. "Troy, don't be ridiculous. If you don't want to then just say it. I won't be disappointed." She promised.

"Hey, if you think I'm worthy enough of meeting your father, then I'd be honoured." He said seriously.

"Of course you are. You're my Wildcat." She teased.

"Grrr." He growled, making her laugh some more, loving the sound.

"That's actually quite sexy…" She teased.

"Grrrr." He growled again and she laughed again, hugging her pillow.

"That's cute, Troyby. Save some for when I'm back."

"So what's the plan for tonight?" He checked.

"Well I asked Tom over but he went and got himself a date so I'm a loner. Thought maybe I'll watch a DVD." She said.

"Wow, living it up, huh? Why don't you go for a skate?" He suggested. "I miss our skating." He added.

"It's not the same without you there, but I might." She contemplated.

"You sound different, somehow." He frowned, trying to pinpoint it.

"Good different or bad different?" She questioned, rolling over onto her front, her buffing forgotten.

"Good different. You just sound happy." He said, and then wondered if she was unhappy back in Albuquerque where it held so many bad memories.

"I'm on vacation. Everybody is happy on vacation." She said.

"Oh, that's my mom…I have to eat apparently." He sighed.

"Ok, love you, boyfriend."

"Love you too." He smiled, ending the call, getting up to go to dinner.


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry it took me ages to post.**

**Enjoy xx**

**Chapter 6**

"#I come home in the morning light  
My mother says when you gonna live your life right  
Oh mother dear we're not the fortunate ones  
And girls they want to have fun  
Oh girls just want to have fun#"

"Dad!" Gabi giggled as Daniel sang along to the radio, his open top car on loan from a customer as he test-drove it, Gabi his accomplice in the passenger seat.

"Go on, sing it!" He enthused, turning up the radio.

"#The phone rings in the middle of the night  
My father yells what you gonna do with your life  
Oh daddy dear you know you're still number one  
But girls they want to have fun  
Oh girls just want to have--

That's all they really want  
Some fun#"

Gabi sang along, eyeing her dad as she sang the fitting lyrics, flipping her hand under her hair and letting it stream behind her in the wind, her arms outstretched to the sky.

"Wow, amazing vocals." He smiled, watching her really relax, really let go.

"#Some boys take a beautiful girl  
And hide her away from the rest of the world  
I want to be the one to walk in the sun  
Oh girls they want to have fun  
Oh girls just want to have#"

Gabi continued singing, more quietly, smiling into the sun as she closed her eyes.

"He doesn't hide you away does he, Gabi?" He asked of Troy.

"Pssh, not likely." She counteracted a bit too quickly. "I mean, no dad." She amended.

"Tell me he's not an ass." He asked under hooded eyes.

"Are we talking about Troy _again? _Because if we are, just remember, you asked…" She avoided.

"He treats you right, though?" He checked again.

She screamed and clutched at her curls, turning into laughter.

"Yes, dad! He's awesome, ok?" She argued.

"I don't like the idea of some guy changing you. You seem so strong, so independent." He commented.

"He doesn't tell me what to wear." She returned pointedly.

"That's because I know for a fact that for a young man, your outfits are a dream." He mused.

She looked down on her particular choice today. Sweat pants, Supergirl tee.

"I tried really hard today." She pouted.

"He doesn't pressure you, does he, Gabi?" He asked and she kicked her arms and legs in frustration.

"_Dad!_ He doesn't pressure me; he doesn't try to change me. If anything, he likes me like this. He wouldn't want me to change." She assured.

"He doesn't get jealous of the boys you seem to attract effortlessly?" He wondered.

"Well maybe he does a little…" She thought aloud. "But so do I. You should have seen this girl all over him at the semi's…" She began and he smiled as she relayed another story to him, opening up without pause.

"She sounds like a hussy." He commented.

"Thank you, dad. I'm glad you agree."

"If he makes you smile like you have been today, then I'll give him his credit." Daniel allowed.

"Do you see how sad I am _without _him?" She lifted her brows.

"Not today, baby girl. Today you've been yourself." He smiled at her.

"Oh my god! Ice cream!" She said suddenly.

"Huh?" He asked, stumped.

"We used to get ice cream. Every Sunday. Mom had her group thing and we used to sneak out and get the sickliest mixture imaginable…" She recounted, childlike.

"You remember…" He said softly, knowing exactly where they could go for ice cream.

"I didn't lose my memory." She stated. "Just my dad." She added, flicking him a small smile to soften her words.

"Okay, so tell me more about Troy." He insisted as she leaned back in the seat and she curled up, giggling.

"There's nothing else you could possibly know!" She protested.

"You're the one who likes him…" He argued.

"I'm the one who _loves _him." She said shyly, looking away, into the distance.

"Oh sure, I knew that." He breathed, trying to stay calm. Teenagers always thought they were in love, wasn't that the territory?

"Don't go weird on me now…" She said teasingly.

"Does he love you too?" He asked as they pulled up at an ice cream shop.

A soft smile spread across her face, one that he hadn't seen before. One that lit up her eyes and made her twist awkwardly in her seat.

"Yeah, I think he might." She said knowingly. "At least, he said it first…" She added, springing from the car and heading inside.

Daniel blew out an amused breath, wondering if it was actually his daughter he should be concerned for, or perhaps it should be Troy?

--

"Have you ever tried shepherd's pie?"

Gabi looked up from the sofa, startled by her father's question.

"Nope, can't say I have."

"You fancy making some? I can show you how."

"Do you ever sit still?" She wondered, disconcerted at another trait she shared with him.

"You wanna relax on the sofa?" He asked.

"No…It's just Troy was going to call me later…" She hedged.

"That's okay, he can call you. We'll make it together and I'll step in if he rings." He enthused.

Her brown eyes met his, testing.

"You're pro-Troy suddenly." She accused.

"No, I just want to eat with my daughter and I know she has this boyfriend who she can't live without…" He teased.

"Now you sound like him." She curled her lip.

"Come on, let your old dad teach you something useful." He insisted and she rolled up, sighing.

"You don't seem much like a dad. You need to ground me or something" She mused.

--

"Do you get grounded a lot?" Daniel started his next line of questioning as they chopped vegetables. The potatoes were peeled and already boiling away nicely.

"Only when I break the rules." She shrugged. "Mom's pretty cool, though."

"You just don't get caught, huh?" He eyes twinkled knowingly.

"I'm not _that_ bad." She denied.

"What are the rules?" He enquired, deciding to make a mental note.

He hadn't set any rules. But she'd been back by midnight, told him where she was going and who with; always checking his permission first.

She seemed to operate quite well on trust and that surprised him with their history. She could easily be out until all hours making his life very difficult. It spoke a lot of her that she was mature enough not to do that and he wondered if Troy was maybe a positive influence after all.

"I have to be home by midnight. I'm not allowed boys to sleep over unless mom say's it's ok. 'Express Prior Permission'." She made speech marks with her fingers as she elaborated. "If I stay over at a friend's, I have to tell mom who it is, what we'll be doing, are their parents home, what the number is…" She rolled her eyes, dropping her vegetables into the frying pan along with the meat he was frying off.

"Wow." He breathed out, realising he had a long way to go with this parenting stuff. It heartened him that she was being so honest about it, she could easily dupe him into more relaxed rules than those her mom set.

"And you stay at Troy's house sometimes?" He checked, stirring the mince sauce as Gabi went at the potatoes with a masher and a confused frown.

He was aching to go and help her but he fought back the urge, letting her struggle even though he felt like laughing and crying at the same time.

"I did after he got in the fight with Chad. And after Chad attacked us." She said, her face clouding over at the memory, loosening her grip on the masher and taking it from the pan.

He nodded, knowing that those circumstances were certainly justified for her to spend the night with her boyfriend.

"He's made of tough stuff, huh?" He said, now tipping the sauce into a dish.

"He is." She agreed, scooping her mash out and flinging it atop the pie filling; with the same confused concentration, making him bite back a giggle.

"So, you should take a day off car washes tomorrow. I have a bus ticket for you." He said as he opened the oven and slid the dish in, then went and got his wallet.

Gabi looked at him worriedly. "Bus?"

"It goes right from the town hall all the way down by the river. There's a village down there, they have those boutique thingies you girls like…"

Gabi's mouth gaped open, in shock. "Really?"

"Yeah, I wanted to drive you but I have to work. I'm sorry, baby, I need the business." He added, feeling like he was letting her down again.

"Thank you." She smiled, grateful for his gift. "You're trying, dad." She added, patting his shoulder, making him look up.

"Next time, I'll try harder." He promised.


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks for the reviews everyone :)**

**Chapter 7**

The sun was high and weak as Gabi climbed aboard the bus full of strangers, smiling at each one until one of them smiled back and she chose to sit there.

"Hi, I'm Gabriella." She introduced confidently and the lady smiled back.

"Hi, I'm Henri. It's short for Henrietta." She added quickly.

"That's a cute name. Do you come from here?" Gabi wondered lightly, her teenage curiousity not reigned in.

"I do. I work in Riverford, though." She explained of her reason for riding the bus.

"That's where I'm off to today." Gabi said, wonderment filling her eyes at the possible knowledge this lady had of her destination.

"Oh, are you a tourist?" Henri asked back, her inquisitiveness a little more refined.

"No, I'm here visiting my dad. You might know him, his name is Daniel Montez?" Gabi offered, leaning her ponytail back against the seat as she stretched to enjoy the view of the river that her father had promised.

"I know Daniel." Henri said very softly, looking out of the window herself and Gabi felt her intuition bristle.

"You do?" She asked innocently enough, intrigued that this pretty American-Indian lady had suddenly gone shy at the mention of her father's name.

"Yeah, I had a small shop in town and it was right next door to his garage. I didn't realise he had…" She trailed off, looking at Gabi as if realising she had said too much.

"A daughter?" Gabi supplied. "Yeah me and mom moved away." Gabi explained.

"How is he doing?" She asked, politely.

"He's good. He's kinda lonely though…" She pursed her lips, then turned her huge chocolate eyes back to her new aqcaintance. "You don't have a shop anymore?"

"Oh, I do. In Riverford. I upgraded. It's a boutique, we have some lovely dresses if you'd like to come and see…" Henri offered.

Gabi smiled secretly to herself, then turned her beaming face to Henri.

"I'd love to, thank you." She said, realising that her father had known all along that Henri had a clothes boutique in Riverford that she would most likely want to visit.

And she considered that not only was he not as bad at parenting as he thought, but she had a really good opportunity to befriend a possible love interest for him.

She sat back in her seat, drinking in the scenery, sharing conversation with Henri as they headed away from town.

--

"Oh my god, this is _beautiful_." Gabi gasped, fingering a delicately beaded gold dress, utterly awed and utterly afraid to touch it.

"Go ahead, try it on." Henri suggested with a firmer voice, her confidence apparently being in the pride of her work.

The boutique was small, but delicate and so carefully decorated with gauze and pastels that Gabi had felt like she was entering another world, her own heaven.

"I can't, I might ruin it…" She murmured, as though her voice alone could damage the beautiful material in her small hand.

Henri laughed. "It may look flimsy, but I promise you, I stitched it myself for women who want to wear it, not look at it." She mused and Gabi lifted her gaze, seeing some of her own grit in Henri's face.

"Okay, thank you." Gabi's smile was small and she lifted the garment carefully from the rack as she carried it like a precious gift toward the changing room.

"Oh wait…" Henri said and Gabi turned. "There's a necklace here, I bought it from this beautiful Indian market and its perfect for the dress, you should try them on together…" She instructed and Gabi nodded, speechless in her excitement.

She didn't want to take it off. The material was shimmery and flowing and felt like clouds against her body, the beads glinting this way and that as she twisted from side to side. And Henri was right, the necklace _was _perfect. Where the dress dropped asymmetrically around her knees, the neckline vee'd becomingly at her small bust, the emphasis completely on her shapely hips. The necklace dove down to almost her tummy, setting off the look perfectly.

She pulled her hair from its ponytail, fluffing it out to her shoulders, then frowning and twisting it up.

She almost didn't recognise the girl before her, so soft and refined.

"I'm sure your dad would want you to have that." Henri said quietly from behind her as she leant on the changing room door, Gabi having ventured out to view herself in the big mirror.

Gabi checked the price tag and pressed her lips together.

"If I buy this, I can't get anything else." She mused sadly, pinching her mouth up at one side.

"Didn't I tell you?" Henri asked innocently.

"Tell me what?" Gabi frowned, turning to her.

"Its buy one, get one free today." She said, licking her lips and hiding a dimple as she turned back to her store, leaving Gabi shocked.

"Henri, I really don't think you should give me a discount…" Gabi hedged as she came out, laying the dress on the counter, knowing she was going to buy at least this item, even if that was her whole allowance gone.

"You know what, your father helped me get this place started, it's the least I can do." She insisted and Gabi smiled slowly.

"I need something funky…something…rockin'" She thought aloud.

"Oh, you need to impress a boy, huh?" She asked knowingly, tipping her face, her dark, flowing hair tipping to one side and cascading down like a river.

Gabi was entranced by her.

"Yeah…" She agreed distractedly, flicking her eyes over Henri's outfit which consisted of a very long maxi dress in a soft tiger print and a brightly knitted cardigan. Two things she would never have put together but suited the ethnic look of the woman.

"I have just the thing…" She nodded.

She nodded, rummaging through the racks upon racks of clothes, pulling out some very cute indigo hot-pants that had the bottoms rolled up neatly. She then flicked a few more hangers and carried out a black short sleeve shirt that had a military feel in it's structure but it promised to fit her curves tightly and the items together, with either her boots or her wedges would look divine.

He gasp was audible.

"Ohhh my god, you are like, my god or something!" She enthused, grabbing the items now with no hesitancy as Henri chuckled at the girl's face.

"Sorry." Gabi apologised quickly for snatching.

"It's ok." Henri assured her as she scampered off to the changing room once again.

Gabi mentally added up the total cost of her two outfits, realising there was more than a hundred dollars worth and she only had eighty dollars on her.

She twisted her lips, flipping open her phone.

"Yello." Daniel answered his garage phone, wiping his sweaty brow.

"Dad?" Gabi ventured and he felt a kick of panic hit him.

"What is it baby girl? Are you okay?" He asked straight off.

"I'm fine…it's just this boutique, it has the most beautiful clothes." She explained nervously.

Daniel sighed, his previous heart attack abating.

"Is that all?" He said softly.

"Yeah…but I only have eighty dollars and the lady said I could take some stuff for free but I feel weird doing that." She admitted.

"She said you could take it for free?" He asked, his hackles rising again. Who in the heck was this weirdo preying on his daughter?

"She said she knows you, that you gave her some money before…" She hedged.

And then his brows rose as he realised his daughter had found the exact shop he had intended for her, but not connecting the dots as to how Henri knew Gabi.

"Did Henri talk to you, Gabi?" He checked, a suspicion hitting him that his sociable daughter may have already done her homework.

"Well yeah. I kinda spilled the beans dad, sorry." She managed fearfully.

"Hey, it's okay." He assured instantly. Secretly, he did worry a little at what Henri might think but his first priority was- and always would be- his daughter. "I'm not mad."

"You're not?" She checked.

"No. And she's right, I did give her some money. But I'd like to speak to her now, if that's okay?" He asked calmly.

Gabi murmured an agreement, carrying her phone out to Henri, rolling her lips together as she wondered how she could explain.

"It's my dad. He's going to let me buy some other stuff. He wanted to talk to you about it." She offered meekly.

Henri looked surprised but nodded; realising the young girl wasn't sure if she could accept gifts from a stranger.

"Okay, that's fine. Go ahead and look around, try on anything you like." She insisted, watching the petite girl with the beautiful face wander off, gliding her hand along the racks, not knowing where to start.

--

"What did he say?" Gabi asked unashamedly, heading back to the counter once the call was over.

"He said he'll cover it. Buy whatever you want." She smiled.

"He did not." She scoffed.

"He did." She giggled, her face softening.

"Wow, he must have had a brain transplant or something…" She mused, stunned.

"Just takes a woman's touch to bring them round sometimes…" Henri winked.

Gabi beamed back. "I wish I could do that with my boyfriend." She said wistfully.

"Oh, Daniel's not…" Henri started, but Gabi interrupted.

"He _never_ listens to me when he gets in these fights and then he gets hurt…" She sighed.

"Sometimes you just gotta let them be, honey. Let them lick their wounds until they're ready to hear you." She said gently and Gabi wondered if that's what she was doing with her dad. Giving him time.

"Okay well if he insisted then I am _so _gonna raid this place!" Gabi said then, turning back to the much more important task of shopping.

--

"It was nice to meet you." Henri offered as she handed Gabi her perfectly wrapped purchases, all held in a pretty paper bag.

"You are so cool, Henri. Like, super-cool." Gabi enthused.

"Oh, wow, thank you. Super-cool, huh?" She mused at this new title.

"I guess I might see you around…" She said hopefully and Henri nodded.

"I hope so. You're keeping me in business." She added wryly and Gabi laughed, liking her already.

"You're really pretty by the way." Gabi said before she left. "He'd be crazy if he didn't ask you out." And with that, she strutted out of the door, leaving Henri open-mouthed at the girl's comment.

And slightly proud of Daniel for having such a bright and independent daughter. One she didn't know about, but ultimately explained his reticence to get involved.

Maybe things might change now that Gabi was around.

---

"_Pleease_ tell me you're free tonight." Gabi wailed as Tom found her inside the garage, doing the books for Daniel. Her previous day of shopping had been rewarded with some rather relaxed work duties.

As much as she would love to question her father about Henri, Gabi sensed now wasn't the right time and she chose to leave the words unsaid.

Tom shrugged.

"I'm a busy man…"

"Tom, come on. I set you two up; don't I deserve _some _kind of thanks?" Gabi curled her lip.

Tom frowned, tipping his head.

"You look different" He said.

"I do?" Her brows rose, her face worried.

"Yeah…your hair is all wild and your skin looks soft." He said, blushing.

"Oh, that. Well I kinda gave up with the hair products seeing as I get wet or dirty most days. And I though eh, what the heck, I'll let my skin breathe and lose the make up, too. Do I look really horrible?" She wondered.

"No…"

"Good job Troy can't see me!" She joked.

"Give me your phone." He said and she smiled bemusedly, handing it over.

He took a photo of her, blowing a kiss.

"Send this to him." He instructed.

"No way." She arched her brow.

"Send- it –to- him" He drew out the last syllable of each word.

"He'd have a heart attack." She dismissed, rubbing her cheek shyly with her finger.

"I mean it; I want to see what he says and prove you wrong." He challenged.

"I'm afraid…" She said suddenly, her voice soft.

"Of him seeing the real you?" He guessed and Gabi wondered how Tom had got to know her so well.

"Of not being y'know…sexy, I guess." She shrugged.

"Gabi, I'm not into you so don't get this wrong, but you look amazing. Send it." He repeated.

Gabi bit her lip and attached the photo to a message, texting it to Troy.

'Hi boyfriend!' She typed, pressing send.

"Okay, it's done!" She said, blowing out a nervous breath.

"Ok, I'm not leaving till he's replied." He smiled, sitting down with her. She flicked him with her pen and laughed as he told a joke.

"Aha! Tom!" Daniel said happily as he came into find Gabi with him.

"Oh god, here he goes." Gabi groaned.

"Are you sure you won't change your mind about dating my daughter?" He asked and Tom smiled.

"Well not only am I almost spoken for," he began. "But I do believe Gabi has met the love of her life." He dramatised.

"Tom!" Gabi complained, butting him in the chest with the back of her wrist.

"You two coming home for dinner?" He asked.

Gabi looked to Tom and he nodded, making her smile.

"Okay, what are we gonna have tonight?" Daniel asked, eyes alight with amusement.

"Can we make shepherd's pie again? I almost had it last time…" Gabi twisted her lips and Daniel smiled upon her, touching the top of her head as they walked together.

"I cannot believe you made lumpy mash. I'm ashamed to call you my daughter…" He teased and she swatted him, and then threw her arms around his middle, surprising him.

He placed a gentle arm around her shoulder in return.

"It's too late, you can't disown me now!" She said and dropped her hug, but let him continue to hold her, his smile wide.

--


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks for the reviews!**

**He'll be back soon I promise, but for those of you hoping for him to visit, I'm afraid to say that's not gonna happen ;) **

**Chapter 8**

"T-r-o-y, Troy." Gabi spelled the word as she placed her letters on the scrabble board.

"You're not allowed names…" Tom said, met with Gabi's glare.

"Is anyone gonna deny me a tiny reminder of my boyfriend?" She begged, her eyes huge.

"Not me." Her dad shook his head.

"Nope." Tom agreed and she smiled happily.

"Eight points." She counted.

"Wow, mastermind." Tom goaded and she elbowed him.

"Just because you're clever-clogs." She sulked.

Her phone bleeped from her pocket and she and Tom both looked at each other instantaneously.

"What is with you two?" Daniel asked, eyeing the pair of them.

"It's a long story, Mr. M." Tom said as Gabi pulled out her phone and rubbed her lips together.

She opened her message.

'Hi sexy girl, where have you put my girlfriend?'

Gabi beamed, showing her message to Tom, who nodded knowingly.

Daniel still looked on, none the wiser.

"It's Troy." Tom said, placing his letters on the board. "L-o-v-e, Love," he spelled.

"Twelve points." Daniel declared.

Gabi: Tom made me send it even though I hated it.

Troy: You look so beautiful and I wish I was there to tell you.

Gabi: Do you mean it?

Troy: You're beautiful inside and out. I am the luckiest guy alive.

"Right that's it!" Daniel said and grabbed her phone from her. "What's he texting you?" He asked.

"No! Dad!" She objected, tears coming to her eyes at her very special moment being interrupted.

His brows lifted as his mouth opened and she snatched her phone back, running to her room and throwing herself on the bed in tears.

"Damn!" Daniel swore, following her, knocking on her door even though it was ajar and he could see her crying into her pillow, hugging it to her.

"Baby girl?" He ventured, kicking himself for invading her privacy and truly shocked at the words he had read on her small phone screen.

Whatever he had imagined about the boy she talked about constantly, he hadn't expected that. Such a heartfelt statement. Such supportive words. Absolute devotion to his daughter and it just reminded him he didn't know anything about her.

And when he got one step closer, he went and ruined it all. Again.

"Baby girl?" He called again, edging in, pushing the door up behind him.

"You didn't have to do that! Why did you do that?" She complained and he sat on the bed, his face twisting in pain as he placed a hand on her back.

"Because I'm an idiot?" He guessed.

Her face came up sharply from the covers, covered in tears, her hair sticking to the wet mess.

She planted it back down, sobbing.

"You know how much I miss him!" She accused. "It's meant to be private. It's between us, just _us_." She emphasised.

He swallowed.

"You're right, you're absolutely right. I shouldn't have done that. I was being curious and I saw something I shouldn't have. It's between you, of course it is." He nodded.

"You don't like him!" She accused then, looking up and he stroked her arm.

"That's not true…" He protested.

"You asked me all those questions and you couldn't trust me, you had to try and see what he was saying!"

"Okay, well maybe that's true." He sighed, rubbing his face. "I did want to see what he was saying. Because I want to make sure that any guy that is sleeping with my daughter is worthy of her." He said.

"_He_ respects my privacy." She bit out.

"I was wrong. I'm sorry." He repeated calmly. "But I'm glad I saw it, because now I know. Now I know he's everything you told me he would be." He added, praying silently to the gods for her forgiveness.

"I miss him so much." She cried, shaking with her sobs.

"Come here, baby girl, huh?" He asked, holding out his arms which she curled into and he held her while she cried.

"I know you do, I feel it every day." He murmured.

Her crying calmed now, her breathing slow; she pulled away from the hug and looked at her dad.

"You want me to take you home?" He asked, biting his lip. It would be a week early but he couldn't bear seeing her so sad.

She shook her head, surprising him.

"You have to show me how to make pancakes first, so I can make them for Troy." She said quietly and he felt his own tears fall, smiling at his daughter in awe.

He nodded, wiping them away.

"So I do, how could I forget?" He asked.

She smiled back, slowly.

"I'm sorry." He said again, knowing he had a few of those to go.

"It's okay, dad." She assured him and he wondered if it were that simple.

Would really forgive him his mistakes if he just owned up to them?

She left the room to go back to Tom and he wondered how he could make sure he saw more of her. He'd missed her too much for this to be it.

--

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Tommm, happy birthday to you…" Gabi sang along with his friends and family in the diner.

He didn't want a big fuss made of his birthday and Tammi was working so he'd decided on a small celebration.

"He'd make the perfect husband…" Daniel whispered into her ear and she elbowed him.

"Quit it!" She teased back.

"I'm just saying!" He chuckled, hugging his arm around her briefly.

"Well- don't." She suggested, eyeing Tom's cake.

He passed her the first slice and she smiled delightedly.

"Ooh thankies Tommy!" She said in a girlish tone.

"I see you're wearing those things you call shorts." Her dad commented next and she rolled her eyes, pursing her lips at him.

"Hot-pants, dad. They're fashionable. I know it's hard to grasp, but really, in Albuquerque, everyone has them. I got them from Henri's shop." She explained.

"Did you now?" He frowned, "And Troy doesn't mind you skating around in these?" He checked, hoping at least her boyfriend might share his opinion.

"Troy doesn't get a say. He'll have to like it or lump it." She announced.

He had to smile at that.

"Does he know you have his top?" He checked as she took a big mouthful of cake and the frosting decorated her lips.

She nodded, her mouth full.

"He likes to know I wear it when I'm thinking of him." She tilted her face.

She seemed to have mostly forgiven him for reading her text message but she had been extra careful with her phone since.

"Ooh, that's him now!" She said excitedly, standing up as she checked her caller display and ran off, leaving her cake half-eaten.

He guessed boyfriends came before finishing food.

"So, you coming round for pancakes tomorrow?" Daniel asked Tom.

"Are they your pancakes or Gabi's pancakes?" He checked carefully.

"It's the first time she'll be making them on her own…" He offered, grinning as Tom made a face.

"Do I have to?" He whispered.

"Hey, last time she used salt instead of sugar. It's an easy mistake…" He defended.

"Man, even looking at a pancake makes me feel ill." Tom complained.

"It'd mean a lot to her. She only has a few days left…" He pleaded.

"Can I pretend I've eaten already?" Tom wondered.

"Just try a little; she wants to get them just right for Troy." He smiled.

"I feel bad for that guy. She's gonna be making him all this stuff and he doesn't know what he's letting himself in for…" Tom joked.

Daniel laughed. "He reckons he loves her, right? I guess this is the final test!"

"Hey guess what?!" Gabi ran back in, excited.

"What?" Tom and Daniel asked in unison.

"Troy is going to meet me at our house so that when you drop me off he can say hi and stuff." She said to her dad.

He couldn't work out why this was so exciting, but he wasn't a teenage girl.

"Wow, super-cool!" He enthused and she gave him a funny look.

"Just, no, dad." She shook her head.

"Not cool?" He guessed.

"Err no. Please, don't embarrass me in front of my boyfriend." She begged.

"Ok, I'll try not to." He nodded sagely, making a face at Tom.

"Tom guess what?!" She asked next.

"What's that?" He asked.

"I'm making pancakes tomorrow, final run before I make them for Troy." She led, her face so full of hope and youthful enthusiasm.

"Wow that's super-cool!" He said, gritting his teeth.

"Oh pur-lease. I didn't kill you did I?" She argued.

"No, just made me sick…" He sighed.

She swiped him, licking her lower lip.

"I'll get them perfect, I promise." She vowed


	9. Chapter 9

Thanks for the great reviews everyone :)

Sorry this is a short one , not many left now xx

**Chapter 9**

"These are the best damn pancakes I've tasted, baby girl." Daniel smiled as he chewed on the questionable food.

Tom flicked his eyes over, blinking in disgust.

"You do know it's cruel to lie to your children?" Tom asked, unable to swallow his mouthful.

Gabi turned at the stove, her flour and batter smudged face so forlorn. Her huge brown eyes beseeched them both.

"Really?" She pouted her lower lip.

"He's going to love them." Daniel said of Troy, giggling. "He's gonna ask for them _every day._"

"Oh god!" She panicked, throwing down the spatula in frustration.

"Honey, I swear, they are _amazing_." Daniel assured, getting up and placing a comforting hand between her shoulder blades.

"Gabi, I'm sorry but I can't do it. It's official, I can't eat batter. You officially put me of pancakes FOR LIFE!" Tom dramatised.

Gabi turned and swiped him.

"I'm not going to miss you." She warned.

"I'm not going to miss your cooking!" Tom returned and she giggled, touching her dad's arm as he stood next to her at the counter.

"See, Troy is gonna dump me." She pouted again.

"Hey, he better not or I'm gonna come down there and shove the pancakes down his throat." Daniel warned, putting a protective arm around his daughter.

"One more batch." She said decidedly.

Tom groaned, placing his head on his arm on the table.

Daniel's face remained expressionless.

"Please, dad?" She begged, tugging on his top.

Tom looked up from his arm, begging Daniel to say no.

"You don't honestly think I can say no to that face, do you?" He asked Tom.

"Oh yay!" Gabi clapped happily.

"When are you going home, remind me?" Tom asked drily.

"Too soon." Gabi murmured, drawing a sad smile from Daniel.

"You're gonna forget all about me when you go back to the Wildcat." He complained and Gabi realised her new friend was going to miss her.

She put her arms loosely around his neck in a brief hug.

"I'm going to write to you. And call. And dad can pass on messages." She promised to which her father rolled his eyes, starting another batter for her.

"No, no, no!" She protested, removing him from the counter and guiding him back to his seat. "I have to do this alone."

"Of course." He nodded, flicking a look to Tom, who shrugged.

"Girls." Tom commented.

"I'm going to miss having this mayhem every morning." Daniel said to himself.

"It's okay, dad." Gabi said, touching his shoulder, quickly rubbing away the trail of flour she accidentally left there. "I'm only a call away."

Once again he was struck by how strong she was, how supportive. Saying goodbye to her was going to be the hardest thing he had ever done.

--

"I can't believe how quickly the time has gone…" Daniel blew out a breath.

"I know its super-crazy." Gabi shook her head, realising she had adopted her dad's dork-worthy phrase again.

"You really wanna clean cars on your last day? Isn't Tom kicking around?" He asked, worried that she would go home and only remember being used for child labour.

"I think he's gonna come get me for lunch so we can exchange presents or something." She pointed her lips down like this wasn't something she was used to doing.

Daniel smiled softly, leaning back on the fender of the clean car.

"Oh, they do that at summer break here. The kids all make each other a token or something to keep a memory over the summer." He explained.

"Oh. Well that's kind of sweet." Gabi allowed. "I made him a card, but I didn't bake him anything." She sulked.

"Well why don't we go home now and you can make him some cookies?" He suggested spontaneously.

"You have to work." She said practically, not accusing.

"It's Friday, I can take some time off for my daughter. I can make it up when you're out of my hair." He kidded, receiving a knowing smile.

"Okay, that'd be nice if we could." She agreed and he nodded, standing up to lock up shop as Gabi looked around, taking in the smell of engine oil for the last time and the view out across the quiet, quaint street of the town.

--

"I'm going to put him off cookies, too." Gabi was sure as she attempted to ice the things, so tiny and fiddly.

"No, you're not, they taste like heaven." Daniel assured.

"They taste like moon rock." She snorted.

"Take some for Troy. The way to a man's heart is through his stomach and all that…" Daniel quoted.

"That's exactly why I'm _not _taking any for Troy because at least Tom can't dump me for poisoning him." She pointed out.

Daniel laughed, hugging his daughter as she poked fun at herself.

"Gabi, you have talents that far outreach cooking. I'm sure he can forgive you one teeny flaw." He suggested.

"He doesn't need to know about my flaws, dad. As far as boys are concerned, they should worship the ground I walk on and any suggestion that I am less than perfect will be met with serious disapproval." She feigned haughtily.

"You know, I'm kinda feeling sorry for this guy…" He muttered. "I think maybe I should quit asking if he treats you right and ask if you treat him right?" He added.

"He gets treated right." She smiled softly and he wished he hadn't asked then because her tone just reminded him she was doing things he didn't want to know about.

"Oh. Good." He said, frowning.

"Okay, I have to go or Tom will think I've deserted him." She said.

"Absolutely, off you go." He said on a sigh, watching her rush back out, shaking his head at her.

Hopefully Tom would be able to grin and bear it with the rather crunchy snacks, he thought to himself with a chuckle. Or he might end up the wrong side of Gabi's temper.

He went out to the yard, seeing the bricked over space looked empty and boring as he collected up his tools and began to plan where to put the pole he had bought for Gabi to skate round. He also needed to even out some of the uneven bricks and make it smooth enough for roller skates.

It might be something that would tempt her back, show her he was trying to support her interests. It would be his last gift to her, her going away present.

--

"What did you get me?" Gabi asked eagerly as she sat in the booth with Tom, eyeing his envelope.

"Hi Gabi, nice to see you." He said drily.

"Oh, sorry. Hi, Tom." She grinned sheepishly.

"Here." He said, handing it over.

She opened the envelope with slow excitement, smiling as a red card appeared, 'Wildcats' stamped across the front and Troy's name and number underneath.

She peered under her lashes to Tom, who blushed.

"Very cute." She admonished, then opened it, gasping as a 3D trophy popped up, attached to each side of the card.

'Gonna miss you Wildcat girl.' He had written. 'Say Hi to Troy and if Troy's reading this, please don't beat me.'

She giggled, a tear coming to her eye at the affection she held for her new friend.

"I love it." She sighed, placing it down on the table, staring at it.

Then she reached over and handed him the box of cookies, topped with her card for him.

He smiled in surprise at the content of the box.

"Cookies? Mmm, yum." He faked and she laughed, kicking him under the table.

"I mean thank you." He amended, flicking his pale eyes to her.

She waited nervously, chewing her bottom lip as he slipped his card out.

There was a picture of her on the front, the one from her phone. He smiled as he realised she must have printed it off. Next to that was a picture of a brown haired boy, sitting with his knees caught up, sticking out his tongue to the camera. He guessed this must be her Troy. There was also a picture from his party, one of he and Tammi together, smiling.

'Summer of Love' She had decorated across the top along with hearts over the page and inside she had written a little message.

'You helped me not to lose my love and I helped you to find yours. I'll miss you, Tom. Even your insults about my cooking. I hope you get to meet my Wildcat one day. Call me! Gabi xx'

He grinned, flipping back to the front to study the pictures some more.

"This is him, then?" He checked, smiling at the cheeky look of the boy.

"Mm-mm." She nodded.

"He's kinda big." He mused.

"It's okay, he's gentle, I promise." She said softly.

"He looks like an amazing guy, just like I said." He nodded.

"Just like you." She complimented of her friend, getting up to sit next to him and hug him around the neck.

"I don't want Tammi getting jealous…" He joked as he pulled back, Gabi wiping her tears away.

"I'll miss you." She admitted.

"Me too. Maybe even your pancakes…" He twitched his mouth, letting her swipe him as she moved back to her seat and they carried on their light teasing of each other, a somewhat poignant mood settling over them.


	10. Chapter 10

**Thank you once again for your wonderful comments. And there is one chapter left after this…but you may be right about a continuation so keep checking! ;)**

**Chapter 10**

"Seventeen hours, six minutes, eleven seconds…" Troy said softly, cradling his hand against his chest where the ache throbbed from missing Gabi.

"I'll be home before you know it." She smiled into the phone.

"I have so much to show you- all my dances…" He enthused.

"I know and I learnt how to make pancakes so I'm gonna make them for you when you stay over…" She said excitedly.

"You think your mom will be up for that?" He frowned.

"I'll talk her into it. Three weeks apart. She's got to let us have one night together." She reasoned.

"I can't wait to hold you in my arms." He sighed, closing his eyes as he lay on his sofa.

His mom brushed his feet off the arm of the sofa and he sat up, not realising she was home and over-listening his conversation.

"Oh, hi mom." He said distractedly.

Gabi screeched on the phone.

"Oh my god did she _hear_ you?" She asked.

"Hi Troy. Nice to see you doing something other than lounging around." Lucy said and went through to the kitchen.

"I think she might of." He said, chuckling.

"I think I might come again, see my dad a bit more." Gabi said then, thinking aloud.

"Aw, hey. You trying to get away from me?" He asked forlornly.

"No. But I had fun here; I'd like to see him again." She added.

"You sound like you had fun. It's weird, I can feel it in your voice, you seem so relaxed." He said.

"That picture I sent you, that's what I have looked like the entire time I have been here. I haven't worn make up in dayyys." She drew it out.

"I think that's the most beautiful you have ever been." He considered. "Oh and in that bikini…" He arched his brow, hearing her giggle.

"I've had your Wildcats top on so much; I swear it's worn out." She mused.

"I like it. I like that you wear me." He said cutely, just as his mom brushed back through the door, sending him a look that told him to get off the sofa and quit talking mush with his girlfriend.

"Hi mom." He said again, grinning inanely as Gabi screamed again.

"_Again?_"

"I know she picks all the wrong moments…" He thought aloud.

"She is so gonna hate me." She decided.

"Because…" He led.

"Because she knows I'm the girl that broke her son." She said knowingly.

"Knock knock." Came a soft voice at her door and she smiled at her dad.

"One second, dad." She said and Troy laughed this time.

"Jeez, we really ought to say goodbye." He mused.

"Okay, goodbye boyfriend, until tomorrow." She said softly.

"Goodbye, beautiful. I love you." He added, ending the call.

Gabi called her dad into her room where he looked around, all her belongings packed.

"You got it all?" He checked.

"Most of it." She shrugged. "I'd figure I'd leave some stuff here for next time…" She smiled.

"Next time?" He lifted his brows, barely daring to hope.

"Well if you'll have me…" She broached.

He knelt before her where she sat on the edge of her bed, reaching up to hug her.

"Any time. You can come _anytime._" He promised. "And I want you to call…" he added as she pulled away and smiled.

"I will." She promised.

"I want to know all the latest on Troy and that basketball thingy you two do." He said.

She laughed. "I'll call you, dad." She assured.

"I'm gonna miss you, baby girl, all over again." He said sadly.

She nodded, feeling tears threaten.

"Me too, daddy." She said softly, hugging him again, wiping her tears away.

He licked his lips and swallowed, standing up.

"Okay," he said, his voice shaky, rubbing his hands together. "I have one more thing to show you before you go home…" He said and held out his hand and she took it, letting him lead her out to his back garden.

It was all bricked over and a pole adorned the centre.

"For your skating, if you ever need somewhere new to go." He explained and bit his lip.

"Its perfect, dad" She smiled, running in and digging her boots from the bottom of the bag to try out the new space, instantly getting lost in the feeling of whirling around, her hair wild behind her.

"I'm gonna miss you." Daniel said quietly to himself, leaning on the doorjamb and folding his arms.

--

Gabi looked out on the horizon, her knees caught underneath her arms as she sat with her dad on her last night in Indianapolis.

"You probably think I'm just being awkward about you and Troy." Daniel husked next to her.

"No, I think you're just being my dad." She said, facing him, tipping her head onto her shoulder as she did so.

"I'd just like to think my daughter is taken care of…" He hedged, not directly alluding to the attack, but clearly intimating he was worried.

"That's what you and mom are for." She pointed out gently.

"I'm sorry I never got to be there for your 16th. Heck, for any of it, but especially that one."

"You didn't miss much." She arched a brow. "It was at our old house before we moved to Albuquerque. My friend Dawn snuck in some alcohol and I was sick all night. Then I got grounded for a month." She sighed.

"A whole month, huh?" He mused.

"As if I didn't suffer enough." She rolled her eyes.

"Do you drink alcohol now?" He pursed his lips nervously, not sure if she would answer.

"No."

"Does Troy ever?" He asked.

"No."

He nodded. "That's good."

"He's a basketball player, he eats real well and works out a lot." She explained.

"Of course he does." He said, realising the dedication it took to be an athlete.

"Dad?"

"Mm?"

"What were you like as a teenager?" She asked innocently.

"A lot like you. I played some sports and I'd always be out cruising, chasing the girls…" He chuckled to himself at the memories.

"Eww." She screwed up her nose. "Do you…do you miss mom sometimes?" She wondered.

That's where his heart began to ache and he frowned with the burden of it.

"Yeah, yeah I do." He admitted softly.

"Are you happy, dad? Do you think maybe you should meet someone? A lady I mean…" She elaborated, softly hinting at the subject she had been eager to broach for days now.

He glanced his eyes toward her, once again surprised at her maturity.

"It crossed my mind. But you know, now is not the right time. I just got my baby girl back." He added.

"I hope you do meet someone, soon." She added. "Someone like Henri." She dropped unsubtly.

He allowed a knowing nod of his head to acknowledge her insight into a part of his life he hadn't even explored himself.

"I love you, Gabriella. I'm so proud of you." He smiled.

"Apart from the boys part…" She teased, elbowing him.

"Even that part. I'm proud of it all." He insisted.

"Well you know, you get to meet him tomorrow…" She led, rolling her lips together nervously.

"I can't wait." He stated.

"Please don't be horrible." She begged.

"Hey! I give everyone a fair chance." He assured.

"Dad…"

"I mean it. You have nothing to worry about."

"Dad, promise me," she said again, begging.

"Okay, look, he's sleeping with my daughter, I'm not gonna make any promises. I'll try." He bargained.

"Okay."

"But if he's a jump-start, don't blame me if I go all parental on you…" He joked and Gabi gave him a look.

"He's not a jump-start." She defended sulkily, her face becoming forlorn as the sun slipped behind the hill and signalled the end of the day.

The end of her summer. The end of getting to know her father again. It was true, at the start of this break she hadn't wanted to be here and she had fought with the idea of ever wanting to be here. But something had snuck up on her and lay camp in her heart and it surprised her as much as loving her dad did. It was unexpected, unwanted even. But it had happened. And somehow, she didn't want to let this feeling go.

She didn't want this to be the end.


	11. Chapter 11

**Thanks for the comments! **

**Vote for the next story:**

**Gabriella's Return (Part 3)… yes I wrote another part lol.**

**Hiding- Gabi goes in disguise to East High…but why?**

**Epilogue**

"I can only presume this is the infamous Troy." Daniel remarked drily.

Gabi was clamped into his body tightly as they both hugged each other wordlessly, having been like that for at least five minutes.

Troy grabbed a fistful of Gabi's hair, his blue eyes lifting to meet the dark one's of Gabi's father, his arms so tightly around Gabi that he didn't know if he could let go, even if he wanted to.

Gabi broke the hug first, touching his cheek but not kissing him like she yearned to. Not in front of her dad, at least.

"Dad, this is Troy. Troy, meet my dad." Gabi said, clinging to Troy's arm as Troy shook her dad's hand with his free hand.

"Mr. Montez." He said in what he hoped was a serious tone.

"Troy." Daniel returned, sizing up the boy his daughter had not stopped talking about. "I hear you play basketball quite well." He offered.

"I do." He agreed, meeting his dark eyes, seeing the similarity between his girlfriend and her father.

"I'd like to think you take care of my baby girl, too?" He asked and Gabi frowned at him.

"Dad!" She admonished.

Troy looked down on her at his side, tightening his fingers in their hand hold.

"You don't know how much she means to me." Troy twisted his lips.

"Tell me." Daniel squinted, knowing he was putting Troy on the spot and Gabi twisted in embarrassment next to him.

Troy nodded, his own lashes coming together.

"My heart has been empty without her." He said, sighing. "I don't know what else to say…" He shrugged.

Gabi looked up at him, wide eyed, then to her dad.

"That'll do, son." Daniel nodded, clutching his shoulder. "And you can call me Daniel." He added.

Gabi beamed, hugging her father and then hugging Troy, trailing his fringe from his eyes as she tiptoed to kiss him, finally.

She let her arms clamp around his neck as she tasted him, allowing his tongue to plunge into her mouth, their kiss so desperate and needy as they pressed together closer, ever closer.

Daniel sighed, smiling at Julia.

"She really cares about him." He stated.

Julia nodded. "They've been through a lot."

"You have done an amazing job. I'm only grateful she gave me a chance to explain…" He shrugged.

"She can visit again…next break." Julia offered.

Daniel beamed. "I would love that, although it breaks her heart to leave him," he shot a look over his shoulder, frowning at his daughter still making out with her boyfriend on the porch.

"She'll cope." Julia said knowingly.

"Are they always like that?" He wondered, then, "Do you ever get used to it?"

Julia laughed.

"They are. And no, not really!" She admitted.

"I should get off, I'll call you." He said and Julia nodded.

He walked back to Gabi, coughing slightly to break the couple apart.

"Oh, sorry, dad." Gabi blushed, patting Troy's chest as she faced him.

"I'm off now." He said gently and Gabi looked sad, throwing herself into a hug.

"Thank you." She said and it was the last words he had expected to hear from her. They knocked him for six.

"For what?" He asked honestly.

"For caring." She said, taking him back to their conversation in his kitchen.

He nodded. "I'll expect a call real soon."

She smiled and he held out his hand for Troy once more.

"Look after her, Troy. I'm trusting you with my baby." He said, intense eyes staring deep into Troy's.

"Yes sir." Troy answered, good and strong like he hoped.

Daniel trailed away from the trio, waving back on his daughter who began crying as he got into the car, her small body supported by the strong arms of her boyfriend.

He knew then, that she would be okay. That he would be okay.

Life was looking up.

--

"Ohh sweet Jesus…." Troy moaned out loud.

Gabi giggled, swiping at his arm. She was resting on top of him, body to body on her bed, hands and face against his chest in her favoured cuddle. Troy had his hands firmly wrapped around her backside, predictably.

"Shh, my mom will think we're having sex." She protested.

"Ohhh sweet babyyy Jesus." He moaned again, just circling his palms over her backside, enjoying it way too much for her liking.

"Are you some kind of freaky bum freak?" She wondered, hitching up, her hope for a nice snuggle ruined somewhat by his fascination with her butt.

"Definitely…Ohhh god this is like heaven…" He continued and she giggled, leaning up to kiss his mouth.

"Please shush." She begged.

"Do you know how much I have missed this?" He asked incredulously.

"I'm getting a good idea!" She returned. "But really, just my ass?"

"Oh, babe, I have missed you so much." He assured, his eyes opening to reveal the soft blue, his arms curling around her body.

Her butt kind of missed his hands now.

"Okay you can touch for a bit longer…" She sighed and he grinned, dropping his hands back to cupping her.

"Grrr." His eyes glinted and she felt his hardness before he even made the noise.

"Here we go." She rolled her eyes.

"I thought you liked my growl…" He pouted sulkily.

"Oh Wildcat, I love your growl but can we please spend at least five minutes just cuddling?" She asked.

He wondered if that were his actual girlfriend speaking or someone else. His eyes flicked over her face, her tanned, make up free, beautiful face.

"Wow, you went all gooey on me, huh?" He smiled a big, irrepressible grin.

"Nuh-uh. I just wanna…y'know…snuggle for a bit." She defended.

He chuckled deep in his chest, shifting a little and getting them comfy as her arms went around his neck and he cradled her again, his hands moving up to rest on her back, one finger tickling the skin at her jeans band.

"We can snuggle for as long as you like, beautiful. As long as you're in my arms, I'm happy." He stated and Gabi smiled against his chest, sighing as she let his arms comfort her and reassure her.

She was back with her Wildcat, where she belonged.

--

To be continued….


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